Personal Stories

Books

Whipping Girl, 362 pg
Julia Serano
Well-known author and speaker Julia Serano was trained as a scientist, and applied her discipline to an examination of her own transition from male to female. In the second part of the book she examines the sometimes contentious relationship between transgender women and the feminist movement.

Becoming a Visible Man, 216 pg
Jamison Green
Jamison Green has been one of the most influential activists in the FTM community, particularly in the SF Bay area.

Redefining Realness, 258 pg
Janet Mock
Well known as an author, TV host and Trans rights activist, this is Mock’s first book, which details her early life and transition.

Gender Outlaw: On Men, Women and the Rest of Us, 320 pg
Kate Bornstein
On one level, Gender Outlaw details Bornstein’s transformation from heterosexual male to lesbian woman, from a one-time IBM salesperson to a playwright and performance artist. But this particular coming-of-age story is also a provocative investigation into our notions of male and female, from a self-described nonbinary transfeminine diesel femme dyke who never stops questioning our cultural assumptions.

Gender Outlaws: The Next Generation, 304 pg
Kate Bornstein & S. Bear Bergman 
A collection of writings by a wide variety of people, ranging from factual exposition to poetry.

Stuck in the Middle with You, 280 pg
Jennifer Finney Boylan
The true story of a trans woman who was married and had two children when she began her transition. Her marriage managed to survive, which is certainly not the case for all married trans people. Both deeply insightful and hilarious at different times.

Tomorrow Will Be Different, 267 pg
Sarah McBride

NonBinary: Memoirs of Gender and Identity, 239 pg
Micah Rajunov and Scott Duane
Thirty essays by nonbinary people, recounting their journeys of discovery. Really excellent writing!

WHY AM I TRANSGENDER? CLUES FROM BIOLOGY (PDF)
Linden Jordan

Found In Transition, 214 pg
Paria Hassouri, MD
This is a wonderfully open, heartfelt account by Dr. Hassouri, a Pediatrician, of her 13-yr old child’s coming out and transition as a woman. She speaks very openly about her initial denial, fears and subsequent acceptance and support for her child. A must-read for any parent of a transgender child.

Trans-Kin: A Guide for Family & Friends of Transgender People, 416 pg
Eleanor Hubbard and Cameron Whitley, Editors
A wonderful and accessible collection of essays, grouped based on the type of relationship to trans people: Significant Others, Families, Friends, Allies and Transgender Persons themselves. This actually mirrors the commonly used acronym SOFFA to refer to those in community with trans people.

Videos and Podcasts

Intersexion Documentary
A graphic but very informative documentary about people who are intersex. Probably NSFW, but definitely worth watching.

How to Be a Girl
An audio podcast produced by Marlo Mack (author of the book of the same name) about life with her young transgender daughter, as they attempt together to sort out just what it means to be a girl.

Where are you sitting? | Ben Greene | TEDxBrandeisUniversity
A great TEDx talk from several years ago. Ben is now working full time as an educator on trans issues and is an exceptional speaker!

Web Articles

Op-Ed: What I didn’t know about my transgender child
Written by a Pediatrician whose child came out as trans at age 13.
“I did not know that 50% or more of transgender people do not present until the start of puberty or later, and that 50% or more have not had the typical signs one associates with being transgender. The “typical signs” actually have nothing to do with biology — they are social constructs resulting from living in a gendered world.”

What to do when your kid comes out as transgender
From a mom who’s been there
“I had many friends who fit into the LGB part of the acronym, but I came to realize I was clueless about the T and the Q. Not anymore. I have been immersed in quite the education… one I never expected.”

Transgender Women Explain What It’s Like When They Don’t ‘Look Trans’
Excellent article that explores the intersections of race and gender.

I Let My Daughter Transition at Four Years Old – And Have Zero Regrets Today
Written by a conservative Christian mother in Texas. This is a very moving and thought-provoking article.

Why Coming Out to My Family Isn’t on My Holiday To-Do List
“Among LGBTQ youth experiencing homelessness, family rejection is the top cited reason for their lack of housing.  And, the physical and psychological impact of discrimination can be more intense for Black LGBTQ people.”

My Name is Ben Greene, and I am Transgender.
Ben is an exceptional speaker, educator, advocate and author.